Khodadad Vajdi
Khodadad Vajdi | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | 1928 |
| Died | February 16, 1990 |
| NSA member | India 1962 - 1985 |
Khodadad H. Vajdi (1928 - February 16, 1990) was an Indian Bahá’í who pioneered to Africa during the Ten Year Crusade and served as a National Spiritual Assembly member in India.
Biography[edit]
Vajdi was born into a Zoroastrian family in Bombay, now Mumbai, in 1928. His mother passed in 1930 and he was raised by his aunt Daulat Vajdi who was the only Bahá’í in the family. In 1931 his aunt took him on pilgrimage to the Holy Land and he sat on Bahíyyih Khánum's lap.[1]
In 1946 Vajdi completed his high school education and he pioneered to Dehra Dun in 1948 to assist in pursuing the teaching goals of the National Spiritual Assembly and he remained until 1949 when he returned to Bombay to support his aunt's business.[2] In 1953 he pioneered to Africa to support the Ten Year Crusade settling in the Zanzibar islands and opening Mafia and Pemba islands to the Faith. He was unable to extend his visa and had to return to Bombay in 1955. Upon returning to India he was elected to the Local Spiritual Assembly of Bombay and served until 1959 when he married Tahirah Boman, daughter of Shirin, and they pioneered to Ujjain.[3]
Vajdi was inspired to pursue mass teaching by Hand of the Cause Raḥmatu’lláh Muhájir and he and his mother-in-law launched mass teaching campaigns in Ujjain and Indore in 1961. He was elected to the National Spiritual Assembly of India in 1962 and encouraged the Bahá’í community of Bombay to pursue mass teaching in Gujarat, Uttar Pradesh, and Rajasthan and opened Bastar and Jhabua to the Faith. In 1964 he helped settle pioneers in Nagaland, Tripura, Assam, Manipur, and near the border of Bhutan.[4]
In addition to his service expanding mass teaching within India he also made international travel teaching trips visiting Sikkim, the Andaman Islands, Mauritius, the Seychelles, Tanzania, Australia, and Fiji.[5]
In 1985 Vajdi retired from the National Spiritual Assembly due to ill health and he passed away in 1990.[6] The Universal House of Justice conveyed the following message after his passing:
GRIEVED PASSING KHODADAD VAIDI DEDICATED SERVANT FAITH INDIA WHOSE UNINTERRUPTED SERVICES PARTICULARLY IN TEACHING, PIONEERING FIELDS WILL EVER BE REMEMBERED. HE IS NUMBERED AMONG THOSE FEW STALWART PROMOTERS FAITH ASSOCIATED WITH PROCESS MASS TEACHING IN INDIA. HIS EXPLOITS IN EXPANSION CONSOLIDATION PROJECTS AMONG RURAL AND TRIBAL AREAS BLESSED THE INDIAN COMMUNITY WITH OUTSTANDING VICTORIES. ASSURE LOVING PRAYERS HOLY SHRINES PROGRESS HIS RADIANT SOUL ABHA KINGDOM SOLACE BEREAVED FAMILY.[7]
References[edit]
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 957. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 957. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 957. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 957. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 957. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 958. View as PDF.
- ↑ The Bahá’í World, An International Record. (1998). Bahá’í World Centre. Haifa. Volume 20 (1986-1992), Pg(s) 958. View as PDF.
